Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2006-07: Quinton Howden was chosen by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the first round (17th overall) of the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.

2007-08: Howden played for the Eastman Selects in the Manitoba AAA hockey league. He made his WHL debut, appearing in five games with Moose Jaw. Howden did not register a point and was -4 for the Warriors.

2008-09: In his WHL rookie season, Howden played in 62 games for the Warriors. He scored 13 goals with 17 assists and 22 PIM and was -37 on a Moose Jaw team that won just 19 games. He played for Team West at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and was a member of Canada’s gold medal squad at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Memorial U-18 Tournament.

2009-10: Howden had a breakout second season as Moose Jaw finished fourth in the East division and qualified for the playoffs. In 65 games for the Warriors, Howden scored 23 goals with 37 assists and was +14 with 44 PM. Five of his goals came on the power play and he along with a pair of short handed goals. Howden missed time at the end of the season due to a collarbone injury and also missed the first five games of the playoffs in the Warriors’ seven-game first round series loss to eventual WHL champ Calgary. Howden picked up up 2 assists but was -6 in two playoff games. Howden played for Team Orr at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game and represented Canada at the WJC U-18 tournament. He was one of the few Canadian players to play well in Minsk, scoring 4 goals with 6 assists and 4 PIM in six games for a team that failed to reach the quarterfinals and finished seventh.

2010-11: Howden was the leading goal-scorer for the Moose Jaw Warriors in his third WHL season and also played for silver-medal winning Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior U-20 championship. In 60 games for Moose Jaw, which finished second in the East division, Howden scored 40 goals with 39 assists and was +7 with 43 PMs. Howden scored 9 of his 40 goals on the power play and also had 3 short-handed tallies. In the Warriors’ six-game, first-round playoff loss to Memorial Cup-bound Kootenay, Howden was Moose Jaw’s top point-getter with 5 goals and 2 assists and was -1 with 2 PMs. In seven games for Canada at the WJC, he scored 2 goals with 3 assists and was +6 with 4 PMs. Howden signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Florida in April 2011.

2011-12: Howden made his pro hockey debut, skating in four AHL playoff games with Florida affiliate San Antonio following his fourth WHL season with Moose Jaw. He also won a bronze medal playing for Canada in the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He had no points and was minus-one with 2 penalty minutes in the Rampage’s series with Oklahoma City. Howden played 52 games for Moose Jaw, missing time after suffering an upper body injury in a Team Canada intrasquad game, and led the Warriors in scoring with 30 gals and 35 assists. He finished the season plus-10 and had 16 penalty minutes. Moose Jaw finished first in the East Division and reached the Eastern Conference finals. Howden scored 5 goals with 10 assists and was plus-seven with 6 penalty minutes in 14 playoff games. In six games at the WJC he scored 3 goals with 3 assists and was plus-four with 2 penalty minutes.

2012-13: Howden made his NHL debut as a 21-year-old, skating for the Panthers in a January game against the Flyers, and then re-joining Florida in March; appearing in 18 games. Playing mostly a defensive, lower line role, he had no points and 2 penalty minutes and was -11; averaging 10:27 minutes of ice time. Howden played 57 games for Panthers AHL affiliate San Antonio. He scored 13 goals with 17 assists for the Rampage and was an even plus/minus with 24 penalty minutes. San Antonio missed the AHL playoffs after finishing last in the South Division.

2013-14: Howden appeared in 16 NHL games with the Panthers; spending most of the year with Florida AHL affiliate San Antonio in his second pro season. He scored 4 goals with 2 assists and was an even plus minus with 10 penalty minutes, averaging 13:43 minutes of ice time. Howden scored 10 goals with 17 assists and was -1 with 26 penalty minutes in 59 AHL regular season games. The Rampage missed the AHL playoffs; finishing last in the West Division.

Talent Analysis

Howden has excellent speed and agility and can be a dangerous short-handed threat on the penalty kill. He has an above average shot and scoring touch, and his puck-handling skills are good enough to allow him to avoid defenders and distribute the puck effectively. Howden has improved his physical play, but he will need to continue to develop that aspect of his game to see NHL success.

Future

Howden has missed much of the 2014-15 season due to injury but is a highly-valued prospect in the Florida pipeline. He has skated in just 10 games with Panthers AHL affiliate San Antonio but is hoping to get back on the ice before the end of the season. Long-term Howden has the offensive ability to become a reliable second-line winger who will also provide solid defense.

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Photo: Selected second overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, forward Aleksander Barkov made an immediate impact for the Florida Panthers. Barkov suffered a knee injury during the 2014 Olympics and has been on injured reserve ever since. (courtesy of Rich Graessle/Icon SMI)

There have been several notable changes since the fall when the Florida Panthers last Top 20 list was compiled. Nick Bjugstad and Drew Shore have graduated, and Florida added high-potential center prospect Brandon Pirri at the trade deadline. Several players have begun getting extended opportunities in the NHL as the regular season winds down and the Panthers playoff hopes slip quietly to the side.

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Photo: Nick Bjugstad is one of several Florida Panthers prospects who are currently playing in the NHL. Bjugstad was selected 19th overall by the Panthers in the 2010 NHL Draft. (courtesy of Juan Salas/Icon SMI)

The Florida Panthers' system remains well stocked even after the graduation of Jonathan Huberdeau and Jacob Markstrom. The organization has incredible depth and skill at center and defense, and although the goaltending depth chart looks relatively weak, it remains a solid group with a couple of players performing well in the early part of the current season.

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Photo: Now in his fourth full year of professional hockey, defenseman Colby Robak is trying to earn a full-time job in the NHL. Robak has appeared in 19 NHL games over the past two years. (courtesy of Michael Tureski/Icon SMI)

The Dale Tallon rebuild of the Florida Panthers is entering its fourth season, and the results of the process – stockpiling young, smart, two-way players with talent and size – is readily coming to fruition. Several prospects are coming into their own, whether as young NHL players, first and second-year professionals in the minor leagues, or leaders in the NCAA and major junior ranks.

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Photo: Goaltender Jacob Markstrom will have a chance to earn the starting job for the Florida Panthers in training camp. Markstrom recorded 23 starts for Florida in 2012-13. (courtesy of Rich Kane/Icon SMI)

Narrowing the Florida Panthers vast prospect pool into a top 20 is no easy task, and several of the players in the second half of the list could easily crack the top 10 prospects in other organizations. The Panthers continue to move youth into their NHL lineup and many of the players currently ranked will graduate in 2013-14, but there are several newcomers and other top prospects ready to fill the empty spots.